The item in question is a Roman amulet in the shape of a phallus, which was discovered by those taking part in a diving “baptism” organized by the Bachisub dice centre. The tiny amulet is thought to date from the 1st century AD, making it around 800 years more recent than the Phoenician wreck, and was presented to the Town Hall by the director of the dive school.

It is believed that this object was created to ward off evil spirits and “evil eye” curses, and it appears to contain elements of gold: if this is confirmed it would make it an exceptional item, as only three others of this kind have been found in Spain.

The amulet is now on display at the Museo Factoría Romana de Salazones, the Roman fish salting factory museum in Puerto de Mazarrón, along with a host of other exhibits related to the presence of the Romans in the area 2,000 years ago and the production of the prized “garum” fish sauce, which was exported from the Murcia coastline all over the Roman Empire.